Courage to Collaborate Empowering Edinburgh’s third sector to create greater return on investment in our communities.
A report by Edinburgh’s Third Sector Interface January 2013
Introduction
1
Third Sector Interface Position – 8 Guiding Principles for Future Funding
2
Rationale for involving the third sector
3
Recommendations
5
Background - Key facts on Edinburgh’s third sector
7
Diversity in the Third Sector: one size does not fit all
8
Third sector employment and careers
16
Financial management in third sector organisations
18
Funding myths and real challenges
21
Grants and commissioning: best value, fairness, transparency
22
Practical solutions
23
A reminder: key statements from Moving Forward Together: An Accord for Investing in Edinburgh’s Third Sector; Edinburgh Compact Partnership, 2007
25
Sources
27
Throughout this report: TSO = Third Sector Organisation (community group, charitable organisation or social enterprise) CEC = City of Edinburgh Council Public Sector = local authority, National Health Service, non-departmental public body, Scottish Government, Neighbourhood Partnership
Introduction This report is long overdue. In 2007 the Compact Partnership produced Moving Forward Together, an Accord for Investing in Edinburgh’s Third Sector. This was the last in-depth look at the funding relationship between the council and the Third Sector and since then, the public sector financial climate, charitable giving to the third sector and the economic climate of Edinburgh have all faced immense pressure. The public sector and third sector can choose to respond to this pressure together. There are compelling reasons why we should face it together: •
We share a passion for creating the best quality of life possible for everyone in Edinburgh;
•
We share a commitment to helping the most vulnerable people in Edinburgh to find the right solutions for their needs;
•
We all want Edinburgh to thrive as a great place to live, play, learn, work and grow old;
•
We have a strong relationship with which to face challenges and make difficult decisions together, based on mutual respect for each others’ expertise;
•
Our beneficiaries, volunteers, workers and supporters are your constituents. The third sector touches lives, from birth to old age, in leisure, health, childcare, learning, care, faith, identity, support for transitions and problems, and above all inspiring a sense of belonging.
The time for a review of how the public sector invests in the third sector is now. The review should explore: A clear rationale for investment and disinvestment
The public sector has difficult decisions to make. It needs to look carefully at what it invests in and ensure a clear rationale for investment and disinvestment. Linkage and leverage between public sector support and other forms of funding
The Third Sector is facing financial pressure. Fundraising from other sources is increasingly challenging and success in securing investment from other sources is inextricably linked to the public sector stake in our organisations’ futures. The best value approach to early intervention
The national and local policy emphasis on early intervention creates a strong role for the third sector which provides the highest volume of community-based, open access support in the city. The life experience of citizens and the role of their communities in responding to needs
More of Edinburgh’s constituents are facing an uncertain future. Rising prices are particularly affecting families and older people reliant on state pensions. The poorest citizens face uncertainty about their entitlements in the face of welfare reform. Rising unemployment is affecting workers of all ages and there are poorer prospects for our young adults starting out in life with fewer opportunities and less affordable housing. The third sector provides frontline services, supporting communities with practical help, in approaches which empower people to help themselves and enable communities to experience a sense of togetherness.
“I also want to be around a range of ages not just all old people.” Older community volunteer, Northfield
1
The Third Sector Interface Position – 8 Guiding Principles for Future Funding 1. Cuts may be necessary but should not disproportionately affect TSOs We recognise the challenges facing the public sector and the need for both the public and third sector to show they operate efficiently and effectively. 2. Transparency and a clear framework for decision-making There should be a clear, published framework which describes the council and other partners’ approach and rationale on the use of grants, service level agreements and contracts. When cuts in funding are anticipated, there should be a clear rationale for funding priorities and reasons for reductions. Commissioning plans should provide timescales, actions and action owners. 3. Funding decisions are made in ways which enable TSOs to manage the process strategically All organisations should have exit strategies for funds they receive. However, it is good practice for the Council and other partners to give the organisations it funds a fair opportunity to prepare for disinvestment. It can take at least six months and usually up to a year for an organisation to raise funds from other sources. It is not appropriate for the Council to make disinvestment or reduction decisions in February and withdraw or reduce funds in March of the same year. 4. Best value acknowledges the wider social value of TSOs Much of the third sector’s impact is difficult to measure, and there are more limited resources for doing the measuring. Volunteering is frequently misunderstood in terms of social value. Holistic assessment of efficiency and effectiveness is challenging, but necessary. Decisions to reduce or end funding must be made fairly and with a proper assessment of social and economic value. 5. Assessment of need must underpin funding priorities National guidance on commissioning in the public sector requires commissioners to know their communities well and have a good assessment of their needs developed in partnership with the third sector. This equally applies to grant making. Assessment of need should be recent and relevant. 6. A mature relationship between partners is based on trust and respect TSOs have independence of purpose, voice and action. A funding relationship with CEC and other partners should not restrict or compromise TSOs from achieving their own mission with other funds. TSO’s integrity should be respected, allowing them to make a contribution to assessment of need and service design without assuming this compromises commissioning and grant decisions. TSO involvement is local, expert and usually the only cost-effective way of reaching communities and vulnerable people. 7. Staff who undertake commissioning and grant making should be trained and experienced in the social issues the funding seeks to address Generic procurement focuses on cost not value for money. Good decisions are based on an evaluation of proposals which understands what works, and what effective work costs. Bungled commissioning processes cost money which could be better spent on helping people. 8. TSOs need to play their part in ensuring high quality, good value services TSOs often struggle to share good practice when organisational capacity is tight. However, we owe it to decision makers to provide evidence of what we do and how it works. If I we were to lose 10% or more of our income the heart would go out of our community nursery and I think that we would have to seriously consider whether it is worthwhile continuing to do what we do. The statutory responsibilities would them revert to the council and give them a massive headache… the service we provide is infinitely more cost effective than the Council’s own service delivery.
2
Third sector manager.
Rationale for involving the third sector Government research in Scotland identifies a compelling case for involving the third sector in tackling inequalities. Close ties with geographical and service user communities The majority of Edinburgh’s small and medium TSOs serve one local area or one specific target group. These organisations successfully counter fears about duplication and the cost of small scale working: • Socially, research confirms that loneliness is a significant factor causing ill-health, for all age groups. People need to belong to something - local provision enhances community connections and belonging; • Local organisations are more likely to secure voluntary support and engender self-help, peer support and co-production from their community; • A number of communities in Edinburgh have pride in their community identity and reflect this in their development of ‘by local for local’ services and cultural events We’ve been coming here since our kids were wee. Now we’re old we’ve got that feeling we can get together, look out for each other. I can’t manage stairs too well but we’ve got a system, me and my neighbour, if the curtains aren’t open by a certain time I’ll call to see what’s wrong and she’ll do the same for me. You get that when you know folk. Older community member and lunch club volunteer
Closest to community needs and able to respond quickly and flexibly We can’t always wait for surveys to tell us how people are being affected by the recession, unemployment, environmental issues and new policies. In many situations, we shouldn’t wait – we should find the solution quickly, and never let people in need go cold and hungry because no-one has noticed. • Edinburgh’s local organisations have responded quickly and practically to local poverty; • When finances are tight, or physical health is frail, the cost of a bus fare can prohibit access to more distant services. COSS is a small charity in Broomhouse with an income of less than £25K yet it provides a lifeline to more than 500 people a year, with only 2 part-time staff and 8 local volunteers. When local families began to struggle with rising prices, COSS was able to respond immediately by setting up a food bank to distribute food and household essentials to people in need – a “roll up our sleeves and get on with it” attitude that has helped many vulnerable people avoid hunger, stress and illness. EVOC survey
Flexible and economically efficient Most third sector organisations make the most of short-term funding opportunities to add value to their ongoing, established programme of work. They find economies to become more sustainable: • Use of interns, volunteers and placements – although investment in co-ordination is essential, the investment has higher returns in the contribution of volunteers; • Blagging free stuff and enjoying a high level of local DIY /trades input for building maintenance; • Linking with local small businesses to maximise small scale fundraising through raffles etc; • Joining up to develop work which meets the needs of target groups more efficiently. The Junction Youth Health Project and Granton Youth Centre joined forces to secure additional funding to develop an outreach programme to tackle under-age drinking in local parks. Neither organisation had the capacity to undertake the work alone and both organisations brought different skills and expertise to the project
3
Rationale for involving the third sector Better designed services because of the voluntary sector’s long expertise about the needs of different groups In Edinburgh we take equality seriously. The City’s voluntary sector has a long history of creating initiatives which help marginalised or excluded groups thrive. • The Edinburgh Mela is a high profile multi-cultural event which started small, and now, through a high profile event and year-round engagement activity, brings us all together to celebrate diversity • LGBT Youth Scotland started in one room in an Edinburgh community centre and grew as a national organisation, still providing local young people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender with support and opportunities. • Edinburgh Young Carers project has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the needs of young carers and to find the best way to provide them with help, respite and a positive identity whilst helping them to maintain their schooling Better delivered services because of the involvement and engagement of service users Edinburgh has a strong tradition of community-led provision. Community engagement is highest in local organisations or those which develop a self-help and peer support ethos in which shared experience bonds community members together. • Serenity Café, developed by Comas, is one of the most recent examples of how listening to local needs of people recovering from addiction can lead to co-produced services for people and reduce health expenditure due to relapse. • Positive Health provides vital support for people affected by HIV and other blood borne viruses. First developed as a community response to HIV, it has developed its reach to other vulnerable groups and retained its volunteer and service-user -led ethos. Stronger democracy because diverse voices are given expression and have influence The engagement of communities in Edinburgh’s Community Planning Partnership is developed through the networking and commitment of local organisations to enable community members’ views to be shared through local forums and in City-wide groups. The trust TSOs gain from their communities Public services coined the phrase ‘hard to reach’ to describe people who disengage from services and professionals. In the third sector, services adapt to make themselves accessible to people, rather than labelling individuals as the problem. From Rape Crisis to Women’s Aid; still birth and cot death to bereavement care; all kinds of health and mental health conditions, people look to third sector organisations for advice, information and practical help. Ability and willingness to work holistically across multiple needs Commissioners have become so focused on ‘pathways’ and ‘referral routes’, we risk forgetting that human beings are not parcels to be passed around. People make progress through relationships with local services that are there when they need them, for all their needs. The Ripple Project has created a thriving local hub where people of all ages can access social activities, advice, support and practical help on everything from youth counselling to parenting and benefits advice.
4
Recommendations to City of Edinburgh Council and Partners We know this: • The situation is complex and demands us all to think carefully and take courage that the best way forward may not be easy. • We cannot forecast the financial climate in future years, but we know that recovery is likely to be slow; we should also prepare for a potentially new fiscal environment following the referendum in 2014. • Edinburgh’s population is changing, people are living longer with higher expectations of living at home with help to live with complex health and social needs. We accept there is less money and more demand, and that change is inevitable. • Support cannot only be about ‘intervention’. Support is embedded in being part of a community where help is available when needed, without the requirement to be labelled ‘in need’ or assessed to meet narrow criteria for targeted interventions. This is the real early intervention. The development of accessible community support is the specialism of many third sector organisations without which the Council’s plans to change and develop targeted services will flounder. 53% of volunteers in • Volunteers make an incalculable contribution to the City and the Edinburgh reported wellbeing of the population, both by volunteering and through improvement in mental volunteer-led support. The commitment and the expectations of health and well being. 29% these constituents in every ward need to be understood lest reported improvement in their loyalty is betrayed by ignorance of their role and value. physical health. Volunteer Centre Edinburgh survey
Recommendations for moving forward together 2013-2014: 1. Take stock We need a thorough, holistic examination of community needs and the role of TSOs and other services in meeting these needs together, which must assess: • Self help and peer support within communities which helps people to self-manage and reduce reliance on services – how and where this is engendered and sustained;
• Co-produced support and services in which people are the experts in their own needs and conditions and create the best solutions for themselves – how and where this is initiated and supported; • The role and contribution of volunteers in communities – where they work, the difference they make, how they are best recruited and supported; • The hours in which both formal and informal support is available in communities – our citizens live 24/7 lives, not a 37 hour, 5-day week; • What community members feel defines ‘early intervention’ on their own terms, rather than uncritically accepting a professionalised term most often used within gate-kept social work services. In community terms early intervention may include food distribution to families, or lunch clubs for older people. It is time to consult by listening rather than by asking people to comment on pre-determined proposals that do not strike a chord with their daily lives. The Council must engage at an adult level in its discussion with the general public and service providers in the voluntary sector. Everyone appreciates that times are hard but it does not appear to stop the Council spending on itself. Either they want to sustain vulnerable people or they don’t. Now is the time to ‘fess up. Third sector manager
5
Recommendations to City of Edinburgh Council and Partners Our arts organisation would struggle to survive cuts greater than 10%. We have already diversified our income, raising more from trusts and foundations and earned income. It would be hard to raise more in the current climate Third sector manager
2. Develop a Third Sector Strategy The third sector is changing. There are new approaches to governance, finance and leadership; as well as new ideas and innovative solutions to entrenched social problems growing within Edinburgh’s third sector. A Third Sector Strategy should include: •A staged, responsible approach to developing the approach to funding TSOs, through grants and commissioning, that enables organisations to plan for disinvestment where this is necessary;
•A commitment to sharing workforce development between all partners, in recognition of the need to ensure quality and impact across all sectors; •Continued investment in infrastructure so that quality improvement can reach all parts of the third sector.
3. Informed decisions This document provides some insight into the financial models, sustainability challenges and the reality of managing TSOs. However, elected members, officials, Board members and others responsible for decisions often work and think in a very different operational context from the sector in which their decisions will have an impact. To be best informed about how We used to get a three-year the third sector works, how it thrives and the threats it faces: Council Service Level • Education for elected members, departmental officials and Agreement and we’re now procurement specialists; on 6-monthly contracts. It’s • Ward-level surgeries specifically for third sector organisations not good business practice and volunteers to get to know councillors; and it doesn’t allow forward planning. • More secondment of staff between the sectors, and Third sector manager public sector sponsored placements into infrastructure organisations to develop specific collaborations. 4. Development of new indicators and tools to assess community impact of TSOs This challenge has dogged the Compact partners for many years. Whilst we support outcomes-led commissioning and the importance The measure of social impact of outcomes in grant making, there are dangers of developing too on communities, to me, has narrow a view of services and support by ignoring the wider never been taken into the social impact that many TSOs achieve. Indicators and tools to assess equation on funding cuts. community impact should: Voluntary organisations • Make a step-change in our use of Social Return On Investment sustain communities….young concepts to ensure community groups and small organisations families in poorer areas and can use methods and tools easily as well as larger organisations; lone parents will be greatly affected by cuts to grants. • Measure what matters to the community as well as what matters
to commissioners; bring participants’ views to the centre of the process;
Third sector administrator
• Provide a dashboard of indicators for organisational development, management and governance;
6
• Provide tools to assess sustainability ratings of organisations.
Background: Key facts on Edinburgh’s third sector 2753 charities based in Edinburgh 1101 work exclusively in the City 1000 non-charity third sector organisations
Paid workforce: 15,000+ Unpaid volunteer workforce: 120,000+ Youth & Disability job placements since 2009:
461
Statutory funding 37% of sector income Public donations 12% of sector income Social enterprise generates ÂŁ5.5m
Council wards: 17 Council wards with no local TSOs: 0
Paid council workforce: 18,500+
Unpaid volunteer council workforce: 2,500+ Average salary of 1 Public Sector senior manager would pay for the average salaries of 3 third sector managers
7
Diversity in the Third Sector: one size does not fit all A diverse third sector is essential to a vibrant, democratic City working for equality for all of its citizens. This diversity matters because: • Community-led and co-produced initiatives cannot be encouraged and then forced to follow a template of top-down decisions or imposed mergers; • Small scale and local may be all that is required in some areas to make a difference in people’s lives in ways that suit them – scaling up or working under an imposed consortium umbrella may break the psychological contracts volunteers have with their local organisations and affect the authenticity of the relationship between the organisation and its community • We are not all the same and our communities are not all the same. If we are serious about citizen choice then we have to value diversity, not be threatened by it. The sector can be structured into typical groups which helps us to see an overview of the different needs of organisations within the third sector.
Community group / micro organisation (less than £50K) Staff Some groups operate with no staff and activity is led by a committee and volunteers. Some organisations have a small staff most likely to be part-time. Open/targeted Many micro organisations are open and accessible, but restrict themselves to a locality or to people with specific experiences Contribution Micro organisations have in-depth local knowledge which could make an important contribution to assessment of need, design and delivery or services. To access this local knowledge, timing and communication methods need to be flexible. Key assets Many micro organisations have a high level of trust from service users based on a quality of relationships between staff/volunteers and service users. Most organisations have very limited administrative resources, many have no premises. Funding models Many micro organisations have a hand to mouth funding model: • There are very limited or no reserves • Local fundraising or membership dues tend to yield small amounts and is often raised for a specific purpose (e.g. outings, equipment) • Trust grants awarded tend to be small and short-term for specific activities (usually cannot contribute to core costs of staff, premises, overheads) • There is no capacity for trading or earning income. Role of the public sector • Grants ensure stability, often contributing to essential costs and get translated into direct activity with the community; helps provide consistency of service which in turn sustains volunteering, gives the organisation the capacity for additional fundraising, and levers in other grants from trusts. • Commissioning is generally not appropriate for micro organisations which do not have the capacity to tender.
8
Impact of Cuts Cuts to micro organisations lead to immediate impact on activity. There is a high risk of closing down within months.
COSS – community one stop shop Annual turnover c£25,000
70% from CEC CEC grant decreasing for last 2 years
40% of p/t manager’s time spent on fundraising from other sources
Role of CEC funding Public sector funding is a lifeline directly linked to the organisation’s survival
people helped each year
Prevention Early Intervention Long term support Signposting & information
Addressing Poverty Health and social issues Advocacy and advice needs
Public sector collaboration Community Planning Partnership Health Strategy Group
Multiplier effect
Impact on your ward More: financial inclusion; social cohesion; sustained tenancies Reduced: poverty, unclaimed benefits, stress, disputes
Sustainability rating • COSS is a hand-to-mouth organisation. • Staff capacity is extremely low, so fundraising capacity is also limited. • There is no spare money for building maintenance or administration resources.
9
Diversity in the Third Sector: one size does not fit all Small organisation (£50K to £200K) Staff Staff are employed, there is often minimal management capacity and administration capacity. Part-time working is the norm in small organisations. The team structure is usually one-tier or flat. Staff often work with very limited support from a local committee. Open/targeted Some small organisations are generalist, with a local community orientation. Many are targeted towards small scale, specific provision such as childcare, youth work or older people. Access is usually open. Contribution Organisations have expertise in their specialism and local knowledge. Many organisations address gaps in service and provide early intervention in community settings. Key assets Some organisations have specialist/professional staff (e.g. Social workers, therapists) which can be accessed through self-referral. Many organisations have dedicated premises; a few rent from the Council or NHS either at peppercorn or market rents. Some organisations run minibuses, own significant specialist equipment or facilities. Funding models Funding models are diverse, but at this level there is limited capacity for fundraising: • Reserves, if they exist, are the minimum required to meet legal obligations on winding up – reserves may be depleted by emergency replacement of essential items, building repairs or maternity leave and struggle to be replaced. • Some organisations have membership schemes, most do not charge service users or have only a nominal charge. • Many organisations attract small, short term grants to supplement a core grant, from funders traditionally oriented towards small organisations (Awards for All; Children in Need; Cash Back for Communities) • There is limited capacity for trading or earning income - some organisations rent out space or equipment. Role of the public sector • Grants provide leverage for additional funding: the award lets other funders know there is some external verification of its operations. Grants contribute to a stable core, in particular management costs which enables the organisation to function and make best use of volunteers. Grants allow dynamic use of other funding opportunities. • Commissioning may be a disproportionate burden in smaller organisations; contract specifications may ignore the wider, holistic approach many small organisations take, requiring organisations tender for only a part of their organisation, which can create management and sustainability problems. Impact of Cuts Cuts to small organisations lead to an immediate impact on activity, usually staff redundancy. When volunteer co-ordination is made redundant, there may be loss of the additional capacity volunteers provide. There is a high risk of closing down within a year.
10
Health All Round Annual turnover c£161,070
58% from CEC No. of sources within CEC: 4
60% of p/t manager’s time spent on fundraising from other sources
Role of CEC funding Public sector funding is an anchor, essential to keep the organisation secure so that other funders are confident to contribute
people helped each year
Prevention Early Intervention Long term support Signposting & information
Addressing Health inequalities: mental health, weight management, physical activity Black & minority ethnic inclusion
Public sector collaboration Social workers Social care workers GPs Health visitors Midwives
Multiplier effect
Impact on your ward More: social cohesion; quality of life; health; sustained tenancies; Reduced: isolation, long term illness, early death
Sustainability rating • Health All Round has severely depleted reserves after it was forced to move from a rent-free NHS building which was sold off, into premises rented at market rates. • The majority of staff are part-time. Reduced funding will remove staff and makes the project unviable. • One-year grant agreements make long term planning impossible. • Most of CEC contribution is from previously ring-fenced government allocation with an uncertain future and no CEC strategy in place for disinvestment.
11
Diversity in the Third Sector: one size does not fit all Medium organisation (£200K to £500K) Staff There are paid staff, full and part-time. Staff will be on different forms of contract, some employed by short-term grants and others employed via contracts or core grants. There will still be few specialised roles: e.g. most administration workers also do book-keeping; IT, marketing and HR will be tacked onto other staff roles. Some organisations may have a twotier structure but many are one-tier. Open/targeted Many organisations in this category specialise in a specific form of provision and some deliver this City-wide. There are a small number of community organisations of this size and a good number of local specialist providers, particularly youth and children’s work and drug and alcohol services. Access generally is open to people who meet the criteria, some organisations may manage specialised provision by professional referral only. Contribution Many organisations in this category are contributing to the Council’s statutory obligations or providing services the Council cannot provide. They make a significant contribution to early intervention but some service models lack the community accessibility (e.g. weekend opening) of micro an small organisations. These organisations have specialised and local knowledge and many have national reputations for expertise. Key assets Most organisations operate from their own premises; most rent but some own premises (acquired e.g. by legacy) and some have mortgages. For many organisations, service reputation is an asset. Some organisations could replicate their services elsewhere or scale up to provide in more City locations. Funding models Funding models for organisations of this size are diverse: • Size of reserves often depends on the age of the organisation. Those under 10 years old will still have very limited reserves and will still be vulnerable. • Many use the same fundraising approaches as small organisations – some could improve performance for less reliance on public sector funding; most have diverse income with at least two ‘major’ funders (including public sector) and several small/short grants. • Some have significantly improved fundraising by investing in a professional fundraiser on their team. However, those working on less popular causes struggle to raise funds. • Some operate a mixed economy of enterprise, grants, community fundraising. Few organisations of this size trade on a large scale (e.g. charity shops). Role of the public sector • Grants are often by Service Level Agreement, contribute to core costs and lever in additional funds from other sources. Grants also allow for ongoing investment, such as building maintenance, which is hard to fundraise for. • Commissioning is more common for services which help fulfil statutory obligations. Competition and contract management causes organisational stress, smaller organisations in this category may struggle to compete for contracts without a consortium, although consortia brings additional management burden.
12
Impact of Cuts Cuts lead to immediate loss of service often associated with redundancy. Most organisations can continue, depending on levels of reserves, but if lost funds are not replaced and cuts continue, there is a risk of closure in future years. Some contracted national organisations withdraw service.
Canongate Youth Project Annual turnover c£400,000
45% from CEC No. of sources within CEC: 3
40% of f/t manager’s time spent on fundraising from other sources
Role of CEC funding Public sector funding is a doorway to securing partnerships and additional investment
people helped each year
Prevention Early Intervention Intensive support Employability
Addressing Health inequalities; additional support needs of young people; youth unemployment; youth offending
Public sector collaboration Social workers Educational Welfare Officers Schools Community Learning & Development
Multiplier effect
Impact on your ward More: children living in their own families; families functioning better; school attendance; social cohesion; learning; health Reduced: youth crime; school exclusion; youth unemployment
Sustainability rating • Canongate Youth Project wants to shift from a ‘maintenance’ strategy to a ‘growth’ strategy in order to better meet young people’s needs. • The organisation has depleted reserves after several years of static Council funding and reduced support from its main additional funder. • There is limited cash fundraising and few options for increasing income other than grants. • Grant fundraising has been successful in the past, and the organisation has a solid reputation and track record of delivery which will help.
13
Diversity in the Third Sector: one size does not fit all Large organisation (£500K to £1m+) Staff Most larger organisations have full and part-time staff, some on permanent contracts and others fixed term. There are more specialised roles (e.g. dedicated Finance Officer) and more two-three tier structures. Some organisations are national organisations with a local delivery (e.g. some arts organisations), some are projects of national or branches organisations which provide additional specialised functions. Open/targeted Some organisations specialise in social issues (e.g. Shelter) or other social purposes (e.g. arts, environment, heritage); many organisations provide services which help the Council meet statutory obligations. Some provide unique services not provided by the public sector. Contribution Larger organisations often have a strong mission which they seek to fulfil independently of contracts or public sector support – but will take contracts and public sector funds to help them do so (e.g. St Columba’s Hospice). Other organisations provide high quality services they have developed elsewhere/historically (e.g. Prince’s Trust/Fairbridge). Key assets Many larger organisations have a high public profile and enjoy a high level of local support as well as a strong reputation (e.g. Bethany, started locally and now working nationally, national award winner). Some organisations own buildings, land, investments. Funding models • Some organisations, such as arts organisations, attract sector specific national funding. • Many organisations hold significant reserves but also have significant liabilities. They can replenish reserves more easily with higher levels of unrestricted cash fundraising. • Most organisations in this category have much stronger fundraising capacity, some with several people on their fundraising teams focusing on different forms of income generation including events, donations, legacies, grants, contracts and trading (e.g. charity shops) Role of the public sector Grants may help larger organisations to pilot new approaches or make new investment in a new service or facility. Larger organisations do better in commissioning: they have the capacity to pursue contracts in the City and elsewhere and greater capacity to bid and deliver on large-scale contracts. They have the capacity to absorb other organisations under TUPE in competitive processes. Impact of cuts Some non-local organisations may withdraw if they do not win contracts; others may relocate. The scale of cash fundraising helps organisations to be more resilient to cuts.
14
Simpson House Annual turnover cÂŁ500,000
15% from CEC No. of sources within CEC: 1
50% of f/t manager’s time spent on fundraising from other sources
Role of CEC funding people helped each year
Early Intervention Treatment Intensive support Wrap around care
Public sector funding helps build a stable foundation for growth and development
Addressing Health inequalities: addiction, mental health, support for children affected by substance misuse.
Public sector collaboration Social workers Social care workers GPs Health visitors NHS drug & alcohol services
Multiplier effect
Impact on your ward More: health; families staying together or reuniting; mental wellbeing, recovery Reduced: addiction; child neglect; mental illness
Sustainability rating The organisation makes best use of student placements (40 per year) and volunteers (40 per year) The Church of Scotland provides the building and around 20% of annual funding, although there are challenges maintaining the building The organisation uses networking really effectively to bring in free additional resources (e.g. toys for children) Social enterprise contributes 20% of funding (training and room hire)
15
Background: third sector employment and careers The voluntary sector is a significant employer in Edinburgh. Sustaining employment in the sector is an important consideration of funding and commissioning. Job satisfaction • Overall, job satisfaction is high; people join the sector because they are passionate about making a difference. Some people enter the sector after personal experience of social issues motivates them to help others. Variety • Although some third sector employers are large (such as housing associations), many are small. There is considerable scope for people to gain experience in different organisations as their career progresses. Multiple demands in roles • The majority of third sector organisations are small with no capacity for specialised functions. There is a high level of complexity in middle and senior management positions in which workers operate without the support of HR, Finance, Marketing and other specialists. Minimal continuing professional development • Audit Scotland reports that the public sector spent £5m on leadership training alone. In contrast, the majority of organisations have frozen non-essential training and professional development budgets in light of funding challenges. • Public sector decisions to set minimum qualification requirements in health and social care have had a devastating impact on small third sector organisations’ reserves. Part time working • Part-time working is increasing : many organisations are reducing contracted hours as a way of sustaining positions rather than creating redundancies (for which reserves may be limited). • Many organisations in our survey have managers and other staff on part-time contracts even through the breadth and complexity of their jobs remains the same: they do an equivalent job for less paid/contracted hours. • A further challenge is that part-time working with lower pay leads to higher levels of job juggling: people combining several part-time jobs to earn a living wage. Lower pay • Generally, third sector roles attract lower salaries than their public sector equivalents at middle management and senior management grades; Staff salaries have • Salary levels tend not to be a motivating factor in entering been at a standstill employment, but third sector organisations report a standstill since 2008 in pay rises and increments for staff for several years. With the Third sector manager rising cost of living, many third sector workers are becoming poorer in real terms. • Fewer third sector employees have pensions, in order to maximise their take home pay.
16
Job insecurity • Although many posts are advertised as permanent, the majority of posts are subject to the availability of funding, which, increasingly, is short term. Organisations waiting for last minute funding decisions from the Council often lose staff who cannot afford uncertainty. • It is increasingly common for posts to be created with a portfolio of different funding sources, which forces the expansion and contraction of hours when one of the portfolio of grants ends.
Background: third sector employment and careers This CEO leads a start-up organisation which was set up four and a half years ago using a social enterprise model. During this time the organisation has won awards and national recognition for its pioneering work helping vulnerable people. It has a mixed revenue of earned income, grants, and for one of its projects, 20% of public sector grant support. The organisation secured support from a trust towards core costs last year but has no reserves. With short term grants, staffing has expanded from 2 to 12, back to 4 and up again to 9, over the last three years. Over four years, the CEO has missed mortgage payments (the first year), developed the organisation whilst juggling work for other agencies as earned income for the organisation, and accepted pay reductions when external work has been scarce because of the recession. The CEO has 30 years experience in the third sector and public sectors, an MSc and MBA. She started her career as a community activist. This CEO has worked for the same organisation for 10 years. This organisation has also won awards and national recognition. It provides the only service of its kind in Edinburgh (it is unique in Scotland) and sells its specific expertise through training and consultancy. The organisation has a mixed revenue of grants, earned income and 50% of public sector grant support. The organisation has 12fte paid staff and 45 volunteers. In real terms, the CEO’s salary has not increased in the last five years. In the last year, he made the decision to go part-time, aware that the public sector core funding to the organisation was decreasing and the reserves were depleted after another staff member had taken maternity leave. This CEO has 17 years experience in the third sector, a BEd and two post-graduate qualifications in management and his specialist field. He started his career as a volunteer and local campaigner.
This worker wants to work part-time. However, part-time contracts tend to be created on short-term funding. In the last five years, she has been job juggling: matching together different part-time roles to ensure enough money is coming in to pay the bills. For her employers, she is a less flexible worker, because each change to her working pattern has a domino effect on other jobs. For her own sanity, she finds it hard to switch between jobs in the same working day as her roles are different for each employer. So she spreads her work over the week and has still not achieved any work-free days. This senior worker is a graduate with over 15 years of experience in the third sector, much of it in very specialised roles working with some of the most vulnerable people in the City. If all staff are funded by one-off grants (generally one year only) we will see a very unstable voluntary sector and may struggle to get staff fully committed to the job. It is almost impossible to get continuation funding for projects as the always have to be ‘new and innovative’ – so any piece of work, no matter how successful, is likely to last for one year only. Third sector manager
17
Financial management in third sector organisations Many third sector organisations do remarkably well to manage the financial challenges they face. Effective collaboration between the third sector and the public sector focusing on helping organisations manage the challenges more effectively could help both sectors maximise the resources available and attract additional investment. However, this is difficult: most public sector officials have very limited financial management experience of the nature required in the third sector; in the third sector, financial management often takes place with too little capacity to operate strategically. Features of the third sector financial management challenge include: Strategy
• Many funders now require third sector organisations to have a business plan. This should show how the organisation expects to attract and manage income, assess risks and identify actions to address risks. • However, annual grant renewal by public sector funders prevents organisations from undertaking long term planning. • A culture of short-termism and making critical financial decisions with no long term view will be detrimental to the third sector. Fundraising
• Many organisations are working in poorer communities where supporters have limited disposable income. Community fundraising creates cohesion but it can be expensive and may not always yield a good return for the staff time and investment. • Large charities with a huge marketing budget and national profile are competing for public support which small local organisations cannot hope to compete with. • Fundraising in local organisations is an ‘add-on’ to service delivery for an organisation where the majority of staff are part-time and have had no fundraising training. • It can take around four hours to complete an average application to a grant making trust; there is an average success rate for non-professional fundraisers of 1 in 5 – this means around 20 hours of fundraising to secure a small grant. Many small organisations would expect to submit at least 5 applications per month. I’m almost always doing it at • Larger grants are usually applied for in multi-stage processes the last minute, up late the which may require additional research and development time night before the deadline. You to meet requirements. know its not the best way but • Fundraising improves with more research and the additional you can’t stand to miss the chance to secure some funds cost of funder databases and directories. Any organisation and keep staff in jobs. But which sticks to responding to advertised deadlines is entering during the day service users the most competitive rounds. have to come first. • The lead time for securing money through grants is usually at Third sector manager least six months, often over a year. Organisations cannot simply turn to fundraising to replace lost public sector money with only a few weeks’ notice of nonrenewal of grant. • Third sector managers report that they do most of their fundraising as unpaid overtime.
18
Financial management in third sector organisations Reserves
• All organisations who employ staff have legal obligations towards employees, such as maternity /adoption leave and sick leave. Organisations have to make statutory payments and find a way to cover for staff on leave in addition to making these payments. They also have to prepare for the eventuality of redundancy. • Reserves are difficult to establish and hard to replace if diminishing. The public sector acts Reserves can only be created from unrestricted income (money that as if reserves are has not be give to the organisation for a specific purpose, as most ‘slush money’, grants are) so to create reserves organisations have to cash they’ve no idea how fundraise or earn income. hard it is to build and • The risks of having insufficient reserves is insolvency and liability for keep a safe reserve. Third sector manager trustees from failure to meet legal obligations.
Pensions deficit
• Like our colleagues in the public sector, many medium to large, long-established organisations in Edinburgh are facing a pensions deficit which pensions providers now expect them to pay, either in a lump sum or over a fixed term. • Options for repayment are painful whichever the choice. Payments can only realistically come from reserves for those organisations that have reserves. For those that do not, even phased repayment could lead to insolvency. Organisations are still assessing the risks to trustees. Enterprise
• Whilst social enterprise has been embraced by government and philanthropists as the answer to sustainability, they do not have to live with the reality of enterprise in small organisations. • Trading and enterprise in small to medium organisations usually means staff juggling additional tasks (e.g. training) on top of their existing service delivery workload. • The emphasis on enterprise has produced several new funding steams which are offered on a part-loan basis which organisations with limited reserves feel is too high-risk to contemplate. • Social bonds require a body (a trust or venture philanthropist) to put up the bond for a pay-onresults initiative. To date, Scotland has not seen any trusts or venturers coming forward. Payment in arrears
Payment for Health and Social Care contracts in arrears by the Council has been detrimental, particularly to small organisations with low reserves with which to cashflow payment in arrears; and for organisations newly entering into service delivery agreements with the Council.
We have had delayed payments from one public sector funder – as long as six months for one invoice – and we can’t cashflow it. We pay overdraft charges so we can make salary payments and someone in a finance office somewhere thinks we’re just a number too insignificant to bother about Social enterprise manager
19
Financial management in third sector organisations Buildings
• Organisations who occupy a building are likely to be liable for maintenance and renewals, which invariably eats into reserves. The trend towards full repairing and insuring leases by public sector and private sector landlords can make life difficult for tenants – especially those occupying cheaper premises in poorer repair. Fundraising to upgrade a building that is not owned by a TSO is extremely difficult. Funders willing to consider this generally require at lease 20 years lease or more before investing. Loan funding is impossible to consider with only short term grant funding for direct service delivery in place. • There is a mixed picture of the Council as landlord. Some organisations We pay the Council enjoy peppercorn rent whilst others have to pay to full market rents. more than £16K a Some have collaborated with the Council to upgrade listed buildings; year in rent and we other council tenants are struggling with leaking, hard to heat have to wear coats buildings which require a substantial overhaul. and hats in the office • Many organisations pay market rent to the private sector for premises in the winter. Third sector worker within walking distance of empty council-owned premises. The impact of financial insecurity and service contracts
• A recent study of burnout in third sector workers in Edinburgh identified that, although money is rarely a motivation for people choosing a career in the third sector, financial insecurity has a personal impact. Mortgages are harder to secure, life-planning is harder, facing periods of unemployment between contracts is a real prospect for people whose posts are grant-funded. • A quarter of participants identified that the current funding climate is increasing burnout symptoms amongst third sector workers.
How can you plan your life when you know you won’t have a job in 9 months’ time. I have been in a situation over the last 3 years of not knowing where I would be. Third sector worker
I think there are challenges in the 3rd sector around funding and that sometimes smaller teams have bigger workloads and in 20 years this only seems to be getting worse – less money, less resources and I think that those things absolutely put pressure on people. Third sector worker
20
• Some workers reported increasing pressure from their employing organisations who had committed to contracts with unrealistic measurements, which forced them into unsustainable working practice with more emphasis on bureaucracy to account for contracts than on meeting the needs of clients.
Actually burnout is inevitable when you look at all that has to be dealt with. What is needed is long term funding that you can plan around and if this is not happening the 3rd sector is being tripped up, how can they meet their outcomes if funding gets tighter and tighter and accountability becomes more stringent while they can’t allow or cover for staff being ill or getting pregnant. Third sector worker
Funding myths and real challenges Myths and the truths behind them Grants are less effective than commissioning There has been considerable research into the role of grants and The reason small to medium third commissioning. sector organisations are currently able • The Select Committee enquiry into the public sector to respond to local need, fill gaps that relationship with the third sector reiterated that grants are that the public sector is not geared up a vital part of the funding balance in the sector, allowing for, innovate and take risks is because more flexibility to third sector organisations, and more scope their funding arrangements allow them greater flexibility. to innovate and to campaign independently. The New Economics Foundation • The effectiveness of grants is an outcome of the quality of deciding grant criteria, the application process and decision making, and finally, for funded projects, of monitoring and evaluation to account for progress – this may involve withdrawing funding from projects which fail to deliver on agreed outcomes, and this is an option for both grant makers and commissioners. • The change from grants to commissioning as a method to improve the relationship between the funder and the funded is a blunt instrument – it may be more cost effective to improve the grant making practice than to enter into commissioning processes subject to different legal constraints. European regulations require competitive tendering The National Audit Office and other public bodies advising on the powers of public bodies make it clear that grants programmes are permissible and can be better value for money options than procurement, when distributing relatively small amounts of money with which to achieve the desired outcomes. Third sector mergers will create more efficiency The majority of small to medium TSOs have such limited functions and resources that it is unlikely efficiency savings could actually be achieved within years of a merger taking place, over and above the cost of undertaking a merger. However, TSOs are independent and must decide for themselves when a merger is appropriate – a sense of community ownership and relationships with service users are essential factors in the future of organisations. Backroom functions should be shared Again, the majority of TSOs have no backroom functions to share. If the public sector wanted to invest in making backroom services available and accessible to the third sector, this may be a welcome move. Audit Scotland has highlighted that there has been poor performance on sharing of functions between public sector organisations, which perhaps indicates the process is not simple. The real challenges we need to face • We need to take a clear-sighted examination of historical funding where TSO have received grants over many years with limited assessment of impact. We all share responsibility for ensuring public sector funding makes a difference in our communities. Disinvestment should be a planned and strategic process. • We need to set fair expectations about the role public sector money should play in TSOs’ sustainability over a period of time. TSOs should assume responsibility for their future. If organisations are expected to balance public sector funding with other sources of funding, they will need time and support to achieve this.
21
Grants and commissioning: best value, fairness, transparency The third sector wants both grant making and commissioning to be open, fair, transparent, and offer our communities the best value for public sector expenditure. We believe the 8 principles of good commissioning are equally applicable to grant making. • Understanding the needs of users and other communities by ensuring that, alongside other consultees, you engage with the third sector organisations, as advocates, to access their specialist knowledge; • Consulting potential provider organisations, including those from the third sector and local experts, well in advance of commissioning new services (or designing grants programmes), working with them to set priority outcomes; • Putting outcomes for users at the heart of the strategic planning process; • Mapping the fullest practical range of providers with a view to understanding the contribution they could make to delivering those outcomes; • Considering investing in the capacity of the provider base, particularly those working with hard-toreach groups; • Ensuring contracting processes (and grant making) are transparent and fair, facilitating the involvement of the broadest range of organsations, including considering sub-contracting and consortia building, where appropriate; • Ensuring long-term contracts and risk sharing, wherever appropriate, as ways of achieving efficiency and effectiveness; and • Seeking feedback from service users, communities and providers in order to review the effectiveness of the commissioning (and grant making) process in meeting local needs. National Audit Office We urge the Council to follow the lead by the Office for the Third Sector in the cabinet, to aspire to measuring its performance in relation to the third sector, using an indicator which measures the contribution that local government and its partners make to the environment in which an independent third sector can operate successfully. This indicator recognises: • The importance of the third sector to strong, active and empowered local communities • The value of the third sector to responsive and effective local government • The value of local government to the third sector, through its approach to partnership, consultation, funding and commissioning, as well as stimulating a local culture of support for the third sector through local businesses and other agencies. I am most concerned about the ‘place’ of voluntary agencies and the way we are perceived by the Council and Council staff. It feels more and more that the Council expects more with less resources but do not see us as partners, they’re willing to see us as stakeholders but not partners. There seem to be moves to bring us under a Council umbrella e.g. Total Craigroyston, which recognises an agency for what it can bring to the strategy rather than seeing the agency for what it stands for in the community. Third sector manager
22
Practical Solutions Be a leading council
The Audit Commission’s inspections of local authority support in England shows poor ratings of local authorities which fail to communicate effectively with the third sector; set clear expectations for all departments about standards for involving the third sector; approaches to funding which lack strategy, are short term, fragmented and inconsistently monitored. We can do better in Edinburgh. Grants
Clarify the role of grants and learn from the third sector itself – trusts and foundations which specialise in grant giving and grant management – to develop best practice. Ensure grants can continue to support small, community-oriented organisations and create a resource for organisations who want to explore new solutions to entrenched social problems. Create a transition fund
Organisations with historic funding and a high percentage of Council support for their income need time and support to create a new balance of funding in which Council funding should still play an important part. Where disinvestment is agreed, a transition fund will also help organisations prepare to find alternative income or transfer services and assets to other organisations. Commissioning
Develop a clearer cycle of needs assessment, planning and commissioning. Develop a new approach to giving TSOs a voice and role in the process to build on their expertise and community connections. We know that Community Planning Partnerships have been identified as an area for improvement for the Council; we can take this opportunity to shape up the way local organisations and groups are involved from local to City wide. Timing
Consider the impact of decisions cycles on TSOs which have limited capacity and reserves. Grant cycles and commissioning cycles should be account for longer lead times for change and development; and longer notice of disengagement. More joint investment
There is plenty of scope for the third sector to be a lead partner in securing non-public sector funding to add value in the City. Invest in TSO leadership and fundraising skills
Public sector funders should acknowledge that commissioning is investment, and expect contracted services to undertake workforce development to strengthen their sustainability and independence.
23
Practical Solutions Review the public sector role as landlord
The Council needs to consider how it can level the playing field for the third sector in terms of use of buildings. A thorough survey of third sector experience as a tenant would enable the Council to take a mature view of the potential of asset transfer and a long term view of how premises costs, which often take up a high percentage of an organisation’s expenditure, can be mitigated by working together better. Promote Edinburgh’s third sector to the business sector
A huge number of Edinburgh’s business support the third sector. There needs to be greater recognition and support of this. The Council could do much to support the promotion of third sector support to the local business community, raising the profile of the impact of the third sector to this community. Reinvigorate payroll giving
Many public sector employees do actively support charities through personal fundraising and giving. Council employees should know who their local charities are and how they can help them. Councillors
Councillors should be provided with information on which organisations work in their ward and a sustainability rating for each organisation. The appointment of a Third Sector Champion could help leadership within the Council in the difficult decisions it has to make, and provide a figurehead for the promotion of the third sector.
In our fundraising a great deal depends on the local economy and as a consequence, people’s disposable income. We understand the Council will be under significant funding pressure but we hope that a medium to long term view can be taken. Third sector manager
24
A reminder: key statements from Moving Forward Together: An Accord for Investing in Edinburgh’s Third Sector; Edinburgh Compact Partnership, 2007. Moving Forward Together acknowledged the need for Edinburgh Compact partners to move beyond the traditional funding routes. The strategy called for mutual respect and understanding between national and local statutory funding bodies and the third sector, focusing on four themes, associated outcomes and actions: 1. An inclusive, transparent and equitable funding regime that reflects stakeholders’ interests and ensures proactive engagement
Outcomes • Third sector agencies know where to apply for funding and what schemes are available and applicable. • Funders are confident that the third sector is aware of their funding streams and management arrangements. • Achievable efficiencies for both third sector and funding agencies. Actions agreed re-evaluate respective current funding regimes; review funding objectives/criteria in light of moves towards an investment culture; consider the efficiency of current management arrangements and implement change options; recognise the core operational costs and economic (equivalent) impact of volunteering in funding bids/guidance; recognise social added value; implement the outcomes of the Council’s Review of Contractual Management Arrangements for the Provision of Social Services; Joint work should be progressed to examine the issue of reserves; Develop and adopt a city-level single grant application form and process; Develop a single investment and monitoring arrangement (covering all public funds received by one organisation) and an arrangement of ‘lead funder’ be defined; Work together to develop a clear and robust framework for resolving difficulties around relevant matters connected to funding; Consider the relative merits of public social partnerships with regard to funding relations. 2. Joint approaches and improved communication around promotion and co-ordination
Outcomes • As for theme 1. Actions agreed Regular forecast of resource availability, strategic policy change and other matters; A single point of funder and funding information provided via the Compact Website;
25
3. Joint leadership and an achievable strategy for Edinburgh’s future funding relations
Outcomes • Improved partnership working and greater efficiency; • Better decision-making. Actions agreed Installation of a joint standing group and/or conference to review and design solutions to issues such as Full Cost Recovery, reserves policy, sustainable funding periods and other matters; Identify Balanced Scorecard or other method as the preferred option for measuring impacts of the funding strategy and the business of the Standing Advisory Group. 4. Equal partnership to provide excellent services within communities of interest and place. Outcomes • Publicise new opportunities; • Create a fund to respond to locally identified social needs; • Improve efficiency and data collection; • Establish good practice. Actions agreed New proposals for jointly supported local grants for innovation will be designed via Neighbourhood Partnerships; Performance improvements to be explored through a self-assessment (Quality Assurance) system being piloted by CEC and grant recipients to be be utilised by other Compact funders; and adoption of a multi-equalities scheme (MES) for third sector organisations incorporating the new equalities duties.
In 2013 (the end date of the Moving Forward Together strategy): • Some of these actions have been implemented or partially implemented; • Some actions have been superseded by other developments; • Some actions have drifted from sight without being fully implemented.
26
Sources 1. EVOC member survey October 2012 2. Volunteer Centre Edinburgh data 2012 3. City of Edinburgh Budget Proposals 2013 4. Edinburgh City Region Economic Review 2011 5. Moving Forward Together, an accord for investing in Edinburgh’s Third Sector 6. Comas study of the needs of older people in Northfield, for the East Neighbourhood Partnership 2009 7. Keeping the Vital Spark: burnout out in lifeline services in the third sector 2013 8. Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator Annual Report 2012 9. SCVO Scottish Third Sector Statistics 2012 10. Why Involve the Third Sector in Health & Social Care Delivery? An evidence paper; Scottish Government and the Scottish Third Sector Research Forum 2011 11. NCVO: various 12. Taken for granted? The needs of small voluntary and community organisations in a big society era; Institute of Public Policy Research, 2013 13. Protecting Independence: the Voluntary Sector in 2012; Panel on the Independence of the Voluntary Sector 14. Audit Commission Best Value Inspection Reports: various district councils in England 15. Hearts and Minds: commissioning from the voluntary sector; Audit Commission 16. World Class Commissioning; NHS 17. Foundations for Knowledge: sharing knowledge to increase impact, a guide for charitable funders; New Philanthropy Capital 18. National Association of Community and Voluntary Associations: various 19. Kings Fund: various 20. Environment for a Thriving Third Sector; Office for the Third Sector, Cabinet Office 21. Public Services and the Third Sector: Rhetoric and Reality; House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee
27
EVOC 14 Ashley Place Edinburgh EH6 5PX Company Limited by Guarantee SC173582 Scottish Charity SC009944
January 2013